Netherlands greets her summer visitors with its bright red poppies bursting forth among yellow grass. Merely half-an-hour away from the city lights of Amsterdam is the quaint university town of Utrecht (pronounced ‘Ooo-trekkt’), which combines medieval charm with a relaxed holiday vibe.
One fine Thursday evening in summer, a cobbled square in the city serendipitously turns into an open-air biergarten, its tables laid with vases of fresh flowers and a band playing in one corner of the square. Crowds of happy revellers drink beer and nibble on light edibles, enjoying the balmy weather.
Visit Oudegracht aan de werf, where narrow stone steps lead down from the bridge to the canal-side wharf, to a profusion of restaurants and pubs tucked under ancient stone arches. Or, grab an outdoor table at one of these sweet spots, to sit under a colourful umbrella savouring Utrecht’s celebrated local brew, De Leckere beer, while the waters of the canal lap the cobblestones.
The major stop for all tourists, as the friendly, English-speaking locals will tell you, is the Dom Tower. Four hundred and sixty-five steps take you to the very top of this tower, the tallest medieval spire in the Netherlands, where a panoramic view awaits. Do stop by the souvenir shop under the Dom, but if you do not know the local language, skip the underground DOMunder tour – it’s exclusively in Dutch.
The lovely double cathedral of Domkerk boasts of several chapels, a beautiful cloister with formal gardens and 14 historical bells weighing in at a whopping 32,000 kg. Go early, since entry to the church closes at 5 p.m. If you happen to get late, come back between sunset and midnight, when the ringing of its church bells is synchronised with after-dark light effects. Specially designed LED lights called ‘Trajectum Lumen’ illuminate key locations throughout the city centre for nocturnal explorers, so you won’t find yourself wandering through dark unfamiliar streets at night, even though shops in Utrecht do close by 6 p.m, except on Thursdays.
Restaurants are, thankfully, open till much later. Real Dutch food isn’t usually on restaurant menus in Netherlands, and Utrecht is no exception.
However, a surprising variety of French, Malaysian, Italian, Mexican, Indian and Middle-Eastern cuisines pop up at eateries across town – all served in generous Dutch portion sizes.
Authentic Flanders fare is pretty much restricted to snack-food and street-food, notably the incomparable stroopwafel. Stroopwafels, or syrup waffles, have two delicious thin waffles sandwiched together with cinnamon-spiked caramel syrup. They’re sold by the stack at most supermarkets, but the freshly-made ones sold at bakeries definitely have an edge. And thanks to the fantastic quality of the milk in Holland, the milkshakes and the ice-creams are off the charts. Other interesting Dutch foods include kaasbroodjes or cheese puffs, the elaborately decorated speculaas spice cookies, and, of course, lots of giant Dutch sausages. Oh, and get some liquorice candies to give as gifts... they’re a Dutch specialty.
Utrecht also happens to be barely 45 minutes away from the town of Gouda (yes, that’s Gouda as in Gouda cheese), so there’s a bounty of this distinctive yellow cheese in shops all over town. You can also take home a piece of Dutch heritage in the shape of pretty white-and-blue Delft china objects d’art – check the label to make sure you’re buying an authentic hand-painted piece. Pick a decorative plate or painted China clock as a charming souvenir.
This cultural haven also has 10 museums that lovingly showcase its history. The hands-on philosophy at several of the museums lifts them from the ordinary. At the Museum Speelklok, for instance, fabulous old musical clocks and old instruments are actually played for visitors, while the Spoorwegmuseum Railway Museum (closed on Mondays) offers train rides on model trains and full-sized trains. In fact, you can even take the old steam train that leaves every hour from Utrecht Centraal Station to the Spoorwegmuseum’s very own Maliebaanstation.
A deep and timeless sense of peace radiates from the city of Utrecht. If Amsterdam is the beating heart of the Netherlands, Utrecht is the quiet, steady pulse of the Dutch heartland.
